Transition clothes??
 

Can anybody make any suggestions on what to do when you're on a budget while you're losing weight? Not that I'm complaining, but I literally have to walk with my hands in my pockets to hold my pants up so they don't fall down right now. I'm going to bring them to a tailor to get them taken in but I know eventually I'll have to buy new clothes before I reach my ultimate goal.

I don't have a lot of extra money to spend on clothes that I might not be able to fit into in a couple of months so I'm wondering what other people have done in this situation.

I am very fortunate. My girlfriend gave me all her "fat" designer clothes. She is going through a messy divorce and has lost a lot of weight. BUT lately she has been gaining weight from poor eating habits. Hope she doesn't ask for her clothes back.

I believe thrift is the way to go. You can get gently used or new clothes there. It is a good way to get clothes that fit and not investing too much money in your transistion.

Hope your really proud of yourself of your accomplishment; I know I am.

Blessings,

Sharon

http://www.3fatchicks.net/img/heartb...0/135/166/.png

Thrift stores and a belt will help you get thru until you reach goal.

Thrift stores and sales. I've bought a couple of pairs of jeans when GAP had a sale. I bought a pair in my current size and a 2 other smaller pairs. I couldn't resist they were on sale for like $18 a pair. I figured it was worth it. Thrift shops and consignment stores are awesome too. I got a a brand new pair with tags still on of seven jeans in my current size for $45. Retail value over $200. I've also had luck with Kijiji.

thrift stores and garage sales-most of our 2nd hand stores here sell jeans and tops for less than $3 each, winter coats for $8, dresses for $5, so I've been able to get by fairly cheaply-try Salvation Army, Goodwill, or any other service oriented organization and look around carefully:)

Thrift stores. I would also get clothes from walmart for the season. But just a couple pair of pants, shorts, shirts, or skirts to get me by till I thinned out of them.

The trick to thrift store shopping for transition clothes is to remember that you don't care. This isn't something you'll be wearing for the next 5 years--more like 3 months. So get rid of all your internal clothing "rules" about the sorts of colors, styles, etc. that you buy--you aren't marrying these clothes, you're having a fling.

Once you think about it that way, you'll find a ton of stuff, and you'll actually end up finding new types of things you didn't realize you liked.

Department store clearance racks, thrift store, and garage sales. Last year I found Daisy Fluentas jeans at Kohls on clearance for 3.80, I bought 2 pairs in size 16 and 2 pairs in size 14. Around the same time Lane Bryant had an awesome clearance sale, I paid 6.99 for dress/casual/khaki pants, I bought 4 pair in size 16. Wish I would have bought 14's too! At the time I was wearing a size 20, I couldn't pass that deal up, and knew I would be there one day. Well I put the 16's on yesterday and they fit!! If you see something for a great price, buy it, you will eventually fit it. I also find great items at Marshalls and T.J. Maxx.

I have gone with thrift store buys. I've also bought one or two new basics (like jeans or Tshirts) from supermarkets like Sainsburys - I guess the US equivalent might be something like Walmart or Target? Trouser length can be an issue sometimes for me (and perhaps for you too) but I've managed to find long length jeans through either route.

Ebay ebay ebay for the WIN!!!


Buy clothes, wear em while you can, resell them and get your money back, or close to it. End result=about even.

:)

I found some cute, fashionable pants and shirts at Goodwill and Salvation Army. It's been good, but you do have to search it out. Good luck on having a good issue with weight loss. 1

If you can do a little minor repair work on your own, Family Dollar and Dollar General have very cute clothes for cheap. The only problem with them is the seams suck, so you may have to do a little work after you wear it a few times. The styles for the price totally make it worth it to me, though. They even have really cute plus size panties for $6 for two pair. No need to spend more, if your just going to shrink out of them, right?

Oh, and thrift stores DO rock!

I say Old Navy. Cheap and lots of choices in flowy material for the awkward in-between stage of muffin top with the next size down, and too loose for the next size up. haha. Speaking from personal experience.

These are all such great suggestions! Thank you so much!

ANewCreation--I should have had my boyfriend take a before picture. Doh!! I'll have to have him take one today since I still have a ways to go.

Lora M--Height is an issue for me with clothes too, but more on the top end. I have a long torso, so I have a hard time finding shirts that don't sit right at my waistline, which is really unattractive. Old Navy's plus sizes have been the best so far in terms of shirt length for me. Land's End is great for work trousers--many of them can be ordered according to leg length to the quarter inch. Definitely more pricy than thrift or discount shopping but sometimes they have great sales and online coupons.

Thank you all so much for your feedback!!!

I was wondering about this myself. My jeans still fit (ugh!) but my work pants are sliding off haha Dont get me wrong Im so excited but its gonna be a problem when they fall down as Im walking in. I may have to go check goodwill out since we have one close by. Ive never been there so I didnt know what to expect.

Great suggestions! I would also agree with Dollar General. I found a really cute sweats outfit there and have worn it all winter. They have cute shorts and tees for summer, too.

I would also suggest Craigslist. I have seen women selling entire wardrobes of business clothing in various sizes there. I think it might be worth your time to check there too. Just always be careful when meeting someone or going to someone's home. Take your boyfriend with you.

I hope to buy new summer clothes in smaller sizes this year!!:D

Clearance clearance clearance. If you have a few key pieces in your wardrobe, like a good belt, cute accessories, a fantastic purse, and a structured jacket, you can make ANYTHING work. I love to layer, so I can buy clearance clothing at pretty much any point in the year, and make it work for me through the next year.

hi, I like to go to the big sales at stores and get basic blouses that you can belt, or skirts to wear to tights and boots, however i am starting my weight loss journey today, and dont want to buy any clothes for spring, which i think is silly, because I have a right to look nice, so i will go out shopping, fo the bargains, today!!!!

1) thrift stores
2) if you work in an office, look for some cute blazers that are untailored or belted jackets/dressy sweaters (I just gave up on my smallest suits)
3) pashminas/shawls over turtlenecks rather than tailored blouses
4) I am thinking skirts (especially wrap skirts if you can find them (again, thrift stores)) might be a better deal than trousers, especially if you have the skill to take them in yourself.
5) your mileage may vary, for my figure (I'm busty) I seem to be able to wear shirts longer (I can "get away" with wearing a lot of shirts I could wear 50 pounds ago without looking like a fool but I can't get away with wearing pants from 20 pounds ago). I think it has something to do with the fact that my shirt material is often stretchy while my pant material is not.
6) buy pants tight (not muffin top, but "sprayed on"), wear with long shirt until fit for public view, then wear until clown pant stage--then have taken in or take to consignment shop.

I love these kinds of threads. I live in a pretty small town and our one thrift store isn't great, so I check out every clearance rack, and I try to find creative new places to look for clothes or creative ways to use clothes.

Wal-Mart can actually have cute stuff. We went to Kohl's over the weekend and I got a cute t-shirt and a nicer work short for about $5 each. And last night at Target I picked up two long-sleeved gray t-shirts for $2.50 each. These were actually in the pajama section, but I use them for layering-which is a concept I'm loving lately! I have some short-sleeve t-shirts but it's still too cold for them, so just layer a cheap long-sleeved t-shirt and that's a whole new look to get me through another season.

Oh, and then there's this: https://www.buyperfectfitbutton.com/...FQ0eDQodY2_FZw

I saw a commercial for this over the weekend and I was mesmerized! I have not actually tried them out, but I hate belts and I might look for these in the near future.

If you have a freecycle in your area it's a good place to pick up stuff. A lot of people are getting rid of clothes all the time. go to freecycle.org and find a local group.

Safety pins! Work in the short run, just make sure you get the big heavy duty ones because there is nothing worse then one working it's way open and getting poked in the belly.

Yard sales. Thats where I have got 30 pairs of shorts. About 40 shirts and 18 pairs of pants. At 25 to 50 cents a piece you cant beat it.

Ross, Bealls, Target, Walmart. Also, Joann fabrics so I can make skirts.

Between getting tops, dresses and skirts and making more skirts... I'm doing ok. I know I can take in for a bit before having to go for a fresh round.

It may not be designer, but simple solid tees over simple pretty skirts in fun fabrics are going to get me through the summer!

A.

I have given up on buying pants because I have been dropping sizes like crazy. I use a belt now for my pants. And the belt is now too big so I'm drilling new holes in it.

I have a pretty work dress with a string tie for a belt in a thrift store for $4. For some reason it still fits well even though I'm 30 pounds lighter. I love that dress. It's my magic dress.

A few people have mentioned this before, but: Ross, TJ Maxx and Marshalls are totally awesome! I love their prices, and they often have really cute clothes!

I've never really been to thrift stores, so I might have to check them out as I start to lose more weight!

Must also brush up on my sewing skills and hit up the fabric and pattern sales! :)

I echo what others have said. Thrift stores, sales and ebay. I also agree with remembering its transitional and you will be tossing them aside when they get too BIG!! :carrot: I love shopping regardless of where I happen to be!

I go to thrift shops and find a couple of pieces of comfy cotton tops and pants every 6 weeks. I'm retired so I don't need dress clothes. I find really nice clothes and never have a problem with it. I am very quick to toss or donate any clothes that are too big the MOMENT I feel they no longer fit right. I have a few clothes I have kept in a smaller size, but I try very hard to stay in the "current zone" with clothes, not keeping those that don't fit. I am on the road 6 weeks at a time, and have actually thrown tops that were too big in the trash (not worth donating). It was kind of freeing to do that....I thought to myself, this is the last day I will ever wear this and threw it in the trash at the end of the day!

Thrift and consignment shops are great. Here in LA there's an AIDS charity called "Out of the Closet." They even have a $1 rack! I found some great basics like an A line black skirt, a great Ann Taylor grey patterned skirt, some T's for exercise and some nylon workout pants that don't strangle me. I spent a little extra for a dress and jacket to wear to work. If you need something nicer, try a consignment shop -- you can always re-sell it to them when you're smaller. I just lost 14 lbs., so I'm going to take the bigger ones back to the thrift shop and hit the dollar rack for the next size down! I was until recently a size 2-4, so I can't wait to get back into my own clothes.